Lexi’s Last Day: A Final Message About My Journey And Next Adventure

Hi, it's Lexi. If you are just stumbling across this post, my big announcement might not mean much to you. But if you have heard me speak on the radio before and have followed my posts in any capacity, this message is directly for you.

My big announcement is that I am leaving Charlotte and thus my job being on-air in radio at Kiss 95.1. I am moving to California, which is a place I've never even been to before. When I've told some people this, they act like I'm crazy for moving somewhere I've never even visited. Which, yeah, I guess it is kind of crazy. But at this time in my life, I need a little more crazy. And this will be me taking a leap into something that I have full faith in.

But why California? A bit of backstory first. After my first year in college, I went through a harder time in my life where I felt depressed and experienced a lot of anxiety surrounding my self-worth and what I could actually add to the world. It was at that point that I got the opportunity to work at a summer camp. It became the place and experience I needed that really saved me and brought me back to myself.

Because the thing about kids, man...they're the most genuine humans you'll ever interact with. And they're not afraid to really be themselves. And be silly just to be silly. And enjoy every moment out of life. Because most of the time, they don't even know what judgment is yet or what it feels like to internalize it when it comes from others. They don't care about everyone else's opinions. They're just existing as...themselves. And it's incredibly inspiring. How sad that most of us grow out of that feeling and have to work YEARS on finding that freedom again. This is the start of that journey for me.

I worked at camp for four summers and it was after that first week of that first summer that I knew working with kids is something I'll always be drawn to. Probably because I'm just a big kid myself, and I never really want to grow out of that. It's honestly the biggest part of who I am.

While living on my own in Charlotte has allowed me to learn a lot about myself, including how to use my voice literally and figuratively, I've struggled a lot. I started my job in radio here during the middle of COVID when not too many people were in the office or going out at all really. Some days, I wouldn't interact with anyone at all outside of online communication or texting. I'm a big people person, and for a long time, I struggled with feeling isolated, just me and my computer screen. This was really hard for me to go through, as this compounded and amplified the mental health issues I'd been struggling with even before that.

While people began to return to the office, the isolated feeling stuck around. So, I knew I had to return to what had already brought me back to myself once before. I wanted somewhat of an escape from being an adult and that's what I got. I found a job in California at an outdoor education program that teaches kids who visit on field trips with their schools about science, leadership, and team building.

I wanted a new adventure. In a new place with new people. And that's what I got. This is why I'm leaving my position at Kiss 95.1.

It's been an honor and privilege to be able to use my voice to reach the people of Charlotte and beyond. To be a friend, to provide some dumbassery for your entertainment on air for a little while. LOL...But most importantly, to start the conversations that we need to be having about the things that really matter and that affect more people than we even realize.

Thank you for listening. As one of my favorite artists says in her song "The Louvre", it's been such a fun pleasure to "broadcast the boom, boom, boom, boom and make 'em all dance to it." <3

Signing off until next time,

Lexi

Lexi’s Listens is a post series I’ve been doing with the songs I’ve been singing to nonstop! My hope is that if you’ve never heard of these, you might discover some new hits to listen to.

First, let's start off with the chill songs I've found in the last month that I've really loved. Quite a few from today's list are hits I've found just by scrolling on TikTok. And many of these artists are new and up-and-coming so please check them out to support independent artists! The first two more chill songs come from artists of TikTok. Rachel Chinouriri presents such a calming and serene feeling with her song Lose Anything. Her vocals are so beautiful and comforting to hear. Check out Lose Anything starting off the list today at #1.

Yani Mo's Lemon Water is also a chill vibe, but has a permeating baseline and beat that might just make you get up and move to the bounce of this one. I usually try to think of other songs or artists that are similar to the songs I find each week, but I truly have never heard anything like Lemon Water before. Check out Yani Mo on TikTok and Instagram. Listen and watch the video for Lemon Water at #2.

#3 today is a song sent to me by a friend after we had just seen Stevie Nicks perform at Bonnaroo. (And what a time that was...honestly made my life, but a story for another day). Gilligan Moss's "Lee's Last Dance" also has a chill vibe with vocals that are very Stevie-esque. It seems like they are not from Stevie, but more likely from vocalist Katy J Pearson. The piano is thoughtful and a quicker baseline comes in which makes it a happier, smiley sound. Check it out at #3.

One of my favorite songs from today is Kelechi and VINCINT's "Just Another Song". While the lyrics acknowledge going through the mental anguish of a breakup, the song itself forces you to use movement as medicine. This is an absolute dance ANTHEM! It very well could be my song of the summer and I cannot stop dancing to it. Please check out Kelechi and VINCINT on TikTok (where I was lucky enough to find them). Also, the music video fits the song so well, please watch it at #4 below.

To finish up Lexi's Listens today, we've got a song from Tove Lo and one from Arkells. Arkells's You Can Get It features K. Flay and this one came up on my Spotify radio, and it is a BOP. A good one for the car with the windows down. Check it out at #5. So we saw Tove Lo at Bonnaroo and I had never heard Glad He's Gone but this is the song she opened with. When I heard it, I immediately could relate to the lyrics about a girlfriend complaining about a shitty boyfriend but not breaking up with him. LOL... check it out at #6.

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